Archaeologists Uncover Half of 3,800-Year-Old Bridge
French and Iraqi researchers have exposed roughly half of an ancient bridge spanning a canal in the Sumerian city of Larsa.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Geography
French and Iraqi archaeologists have uncovered more of a 3,800-year-old bridge in Larsa, an ancient city in southern Iraq. Excavators recovered a fired brick bearing the name of King Sin-iddinam, who ruled Larsa from 1849 to 1843 BCE.
Why it matters
The find offers a rare physical look at how ancient builders maintained crossings over major waterways in southern Mesopotamia. It also adds to the record of infrastructure in a region that shaped early urban civilization.
The bridge crosses the Great Canal, which measures about 22 meters (72 feet) across, and archaeologists have exposed roughly half of the structure. The remaining portion and the bridge's complete design have not yet been confirmed.
The players
Régis Vallet
Régis Vallet is a French archaeologist who leads the French mission excavating the Larsa bridge.
King Sin-iddinam
King Sin-iddinam was a ruler of the Sumerian city-state of Larsa in the 19th century BCE.
The details
A French archaeological mission led by Régis Vallet is working with Iraqi specialists at Larsa, near the site's ziggurat. French researchers first identified the bridge during surveys in 2019 and began excavating its brick supports in 2021. The team recovered an inscribed brick from the upper section of the eastern support, linking the structure to King Sin-iddinam.
Timeline
1849 to 1843 BCE: King Sin-iddinam ruled Larsa.
2019: French researchers first identified the bridge during surveys.
2021: Excavation of the bridge's brick supports began.
November 2026: Iraqi antiquities officials reported the latest findings.
Roadmap
The discovery fits a broader pattern in southern Mesopotamia, where Larsa and nearby Eridu depended on extensive canal networks for trade and water management. The Larsa bridge adds structural evidence to what has previously been known mainly from textual records and canal traces.
The find helps researchers reconstruct how ancient infrastructure worked in southern Iraq, which may inform future work on early urban planning. Further excavation could clarify the bridge's full layout and the engineering methods used to cross the canal.
The takeaway
Ancient infrastructure still preserves clues about how early cities solved everyday problems like moving people and water. Each excavation adds detail to a picture that is still being assembled.
Further reading
Explore more archaeological discoveries in the Geography section of Wisevoter.
